@article {Kitadaieaao7265,
author = {Kitadai, Norio and Nakamura, Ryuhei and Yamamoto, Masahiro and Takai, Ken and Li, Yamei and Yamaguchi, Akira and Gilbert, Alexis and Ueno, Yuichiro and Yoshida, Naohiro and Oono, Yoshi},
title = {Geoelectrochemical CO production: Implications for the autotrophic origin of life},
volume = {4},
number = {4},
elocation-id = {eaao7265},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1126/sciadv.aao7265},
publisher = {American Association for the Advancement of Science},
abstract = {W{\"a}chtersh{\"a}user{\textquoteright}s proposal of the autotrophic origin of life theory and subsequent laboratory demonstrations of relevant organic reactions have opened a new gate for the exploration of the origin of life. However, this scenario remains controversial because, at present, it requires a high pressure of CO as a source of carbon and reducing energy, although CO must have been a trace C species on the Hadean Earth. We show that, simulating a geoelectrochemical environment in deep-sea hydrothermal fields, CO production with up to ~40\% Faraday efficiency was attainable on CdS in CO2-saturated NaCl solution at <={\textendash}1 V (versus the standard hydrogen electrode). The threshold potential is readily generated in the H2-rich, high-temperature, and alkaline hydrothermal vents that were probably widespread on the early komatiitic and basaltic ocean crust. Thus, W{\"a}chtersh{\"a}user{\textquoteright}s scenario starting from CO2 was likely to be realized in the Hadean ocean hydrothermal systems.},
URL = {https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/4/eaao7265},
eprint = {https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/4/eaao7265.full.pdf},
journal = {Science Advances}
}